Well ya know I drank really really hard for 40 years, but I didn't have liver failure.

Guess there's no consequences for alcoholism! Guess I can keep drinking forever! I am immortal!

And THAT is what I imagine my still alcoholic boomer dad must think daily.

I always like to point out that they were originally called Generation Me. They were the first generation studied, who were more concerned with self fulfilment, than social responsibility.

they incorrectly believe that because they lived that there was no actual danger.

Also, incorrectly believed that they were the ones on the bicycle.

For every kid doing this right, there were ten that did it wrong and fell over.

For every ten that did it wrong, there were another ten laughing up their sleeves and then... putting on a helmet and pads because they didn't want to end up in traction (or because their parents were yelling at them to be safe).

It was before my time, but, when my father joined the army to get away from the hell that was home the day he left a boy he went to school with was hit while riding his bike. No helmet, no shit, no protective gear, no breaks. He didnt survive. There were two kids on the bike (17 years old but you get what I mean), we broke all the bones in his legs, barely survived.

Its 100% survivors bias, I know plenty of people my age who were seriously hurt in bicycle accidents too, myself included. I think some of that pain of crashing is fine, its part of learning how to take safety seriously. But somenpeople never learn.

this is why they oppose developing critical thinking in public education. believe what you're told to believe, do what you're told to do.

science, facts, evidence all have a liberal bias, therefore the only choice is to support pedophile rapist fascist, because...he hates minorities just like his supporters do

I hit my head on the pavement bicycling drunk while my helmet was sitting on my desk at work. Ask me how fun the two weeks after that concussion was.

Friend got hit by a car when on bike, went flying, rolled over the car, smacked into the road.

Got up, checked bike first, sighted and started dragging it's carcass back home.

...but to be honest, dude was kinda indestructible and totally the exemption in every dangerous situaiton.

I got hit by a car while biking without a helmet! Toppled up onto their hood and slid off once they came to a complete stop. Totalled the bike. I just got really fucking lucky and didn't hit my head. Would not advise.

I was just lazy and didn't go back up to my apartment once I got down and realized I had forgotten the helmet, because it was "just a short ride to the park". Never again.

Ask anyone not wearing a helmet that got hit by a car or smacked their head on the concrete after going over their handlebars. Oh, right, you can’t.

I mean, you can. Falling off your bike isn't universally fatal. Even bad injuries aren't unrecoverable - especially when you're young and resilient and you're body is still growing.

But imagine telling a 12-year-old to take off their helmet and pads and go plow themselves into a tree, because it builds character. Why would anyone voluntarily subject themselves to this? Why would anyone advocate for this?

You're not building up some kind of robust spirit of mind or body. You're not growing as a person. You're just being hazed.

Boomers aren’t able to see anything beyond themselves. They lack empathy to a degree that’s insane. A Generation of Sociopaths as Bruce Gibeny says.

Before some boomer comments “not me!” (Because everything is about them) just look at the fucking world and the way boomers behave.

I've been hit by cars before on my bicycle. Six times.

You know what it was, every single time? The driver was turning right, and looking for oncoming traffic from the left. I tried to cross, and didn't know they hadn't seen me. Ran over my front tire, or just knocked me over.

I'm damn lucky those were all extremely slow speed collisions and they stopped as soon as they heard me scream. But honestly? Fuck cars. I shouldn't have been forced to cross at the sidewalk to begin with. And they should have been looking for pedestrians anyway.

Thank you. I was looking at the cars and thinking this was 1970s.

I did shit as a kid I’d never have let my kid even think about. I should have died several times until my mid 20s.

Right after I graduated middle school, three guys were riding in the back of an El Camino that took a curve too fast. All but one were killed quite nastily. That was 1972, and the sole survivor still isn't doing well. So much for the good Old Days when kids were free.

Ask this Joneser about all this shit boomers get nostalgic over. I'll tell you the real story.

Years ago I had aanager who was really into road biking. Without going into detail, he came off his bike and took a hard hit to his head. He was wearing a helmet (and it would have been a good one, like most people into the sport do) but still had brain damage. He's very lucky that he made a full recovery. If he had no helmet he would be dead.

Every street is North America is a highway. Straight, level, smooth, and intended for fast driving. The continent has designed streets not safe for human presence, fully supported by the older generations, and now they have the gall to complain about kids sitting indoors all of the time.

But isn't that also survivor bias in a way? Because those who understand it, don't post stuff like this and therefore don't get noticed. Is like the joke "How do you recognize a vegan? They tell you – every five minutes". People told me the joke, not knowing that I'm a vegan, because I didn't tell them because why would I.

I have two very visible on my chins from those meat grinder petals on bikes back then. And a dark place on my right arm due to trying to ride a wheelie way too fast on sandy pavement and sliding on same sandy pavement for a good 20 ft on that arm. Basically like taking an angle grinder with a sanding disc to my arm for several seconds. Fun times….